Operation Nekka

Operation Nekka (Nekka being the Japanese reading of the characters 熱河 used to write Jehol), also known as the First Battle of Hopei (= Hebei province), was a Japanese military campaign against the Northeastern Army of China in Jehol and Hebei between (January 1 – May 31 1933), following the 1931-1932 invasion of Manchuria. Known to the Chinese as the Defense of the Great Wall.

Shanhai Pass

Following the establishment of the puppet state of Manchukuo, the Japanese military presence extended from Manchuria into "China proper". On 1 January 1933, the Japanese demanded that the Chinese 626th Regiment Regiment of the Northeastern Army (Traditional Chinese: 東北軍; Simplified Chinese: 东北军; pinyin: Dōngběi Jūn), guarding Shanhai Pass, evacuate the pass defenses. Later they began bombarding Shanhaiguan, the easternmost fortress of the Great Wall of China. On January 2nd, the Japanese 8th Division issued an ultimatum, and then attacked the pass with the support of 3 armoured vehicles. On January 3, Regimental commander Shi Shian, unable to withstand this attack, evacuated from the pass after losing of half his force while the Japanese incurred casualties estimated at 500.[1] On January 3, Shanhai Pass had fallen to the Japanese.

Plan of Operation

Rehe or Jehol was the next target. The Japanese began to organize another operation. Assigned to this Operation Nekka were the 6th Division and 8th Division and 14th and 33rd Mixed Brigades of infantry, 4th Cavalry Brigade and the 1st Special Tank Company. By January 28th, two attacks were planned, 8th Division and two brigades were to attack four passes along the Great Wall from Jinzhou to Yixian, and the 6th Division, 4th Cavarly Brigade and the Tank Company were to attack Chifeng via Tongliao, Zhangwu and Hushan. The attack was scheduled for Feb 21st. The Japanese army's chief of staff requested Emperor Hirohito's sanction for a 'strategic operation' against Chinese forces in Jehol. Hoping that it was the last of the army's operations in the area and that it would bring an end to the Manchurian matter, the Emperor approved, while stating that the army was not go beyond China's Great Wall.[1]

Order of battle

Japanese: Order of battle Operation Nekka.

Battle of Rehe

Main article: Battle of Rehe

On February 23rd, launched the offensive. On February 25th, Chaoyang and Kailu were taken. On March 2nd, the Japanese 4th cavalry Brigade encountered resistance from the forces of Sun Dianying, and after days of fighting, took over Chifeng. Sun Dianying mounted a counterattack against the Japanese 6th Division on the same day, and at one time penetrated to near the Japanese headquarters. After intense fighting, the Chinese retreated on March 1. On March 4th, Japanese cavalry and the 1st Special Tank Company took Chengde the capital of Rehe/Jehol.

Great Wall

On March 11th, Japanese troops pushed up to the Great Wall. On March 12th, Zhang Xueliang resigned his post to He Yingqin. He Yingqin as the leader of the Northeastern Army and was assigned the duty of securing defensive positions along the Great Wall.

On March 7th, the 16th Brigade of the Japanese 8th Division, attacked Gubeikou Pass. On March 21st, the Japanese took Yiyuankou Pass. At Xifengkou Pass, from March 9th, the the Japanese 6th Division and 14th Mixed Brigade fought against 37th Division of the Chinese 29th Corps for 31 days. Over twenty close asaults were launched, with sword (probably dadao) armed Northwestern Army soldiers, said to have been cutting off Japanese heads "by the hundreds" during each engagement.[1] 29th Corps evacuated from Xifengkou Pass on April 8th. On April 11th, Japanese troops retook Lengkou Pass after dozens of seasaw fights over the pass defenses. Chinese forces at Jielingkou abandoned that pass.[1] Beaten back by overwhelming Japanese firepower, on May 12, the Chinese army retreated from their remaining positions on the Great Wall.

Sources:

• [1] Battles of the Great Wall
• [2] THE HISTORY OF BATTLES OF IMPERIAL JAPANESE TANKS
• [3] Hsu Long-hsuen and Chang Ming-kai, History of The Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) 2nd Ed. ,1971. Translated by Wen Ha-hsiung , Chung Wu Publishing; 33, 140th Lane, Tung-hwa Street, Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China. Pg. 159-161.

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